1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to light deflection apparatus, and, more particularly, to light deflecting apparatus which deflects a beam of light from a mirror in response to an audio signal and the deflected light traces a visual pattern in response to the audio signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been numerous prior art devices which utilize transducers to produce movement in a mirror or in a membrane in response to sound waves. The sound waves are generated by an electromechanical transducer of varying types which receive audio signals in the form of electrical current impulses. In some situations, a membrane is used to directly receive sound waves moving through an air mass, such as generated by a speaker cone.
For example, in the Plebanek patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,411,804, a diaphragm is used to rotate a tray which includes a plurality of movable objects on the tray. Light projecting apparatus is used to direct light from various sources at the objects on the tray. Light reflected from the objects on the tray is directed against a screen and the light traces a visual pattern on the screen in response to sound waves from a speaker which causes diaphragms associated with each light source to vary the light directed against the objects on the tray.
In the Wright patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,075, a flexibly supported container is used in conjunction with an electromechanical transducer to convert sound into light responsive patterns. The container is partially filled with a fluid which includes a multiplicity of freely movable particles of various shapes and the container is mechanically vibrated in response to the sound waves. The particles in the fluid move in response to the sound, and accordingly provide a varying color pattern in response to the sound.
An animated advertising display is disclosed in the Byrnes patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,496. A flexible membrane or diaphragm is secured to a face plate and a permanent magnet and electric coil is located adjacent the diaphragm, with a permanent magnet affixed to the diaphragm. The diaphragm includes a plurality of slits extending radially outwardly from the center of the diaphragm, where the permanent magnet is secured. The movement of the permanent magnet in response to current through the coil results in vibration of the permanent magnet and in oscillation of the flexible strips of the diaphragm.
In still another embodiment, the Phillips patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,428, an electrical transducer is connected to a sound system and a plurality of light reflecting elements are supported by the transducer. Movement of the transducer in response to the sound results in movement of the light reflecting elements. A light source is directed at the light deflecting elements and visual images are then reflected to a surface.
In the Williams patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,195, a plurality of light deflecting elements are suspended from a diaphragm which extends across a speaker cone. The volume of air between the speaker cone and the diaphragm causes the diaphragm to vibrate in response to movemnt of the speaker cone in the generation of sound therefrom. A light source is directed at the mirrors on the diaphragm and the reflected light results in the projection of a multiplicity of patterns.